Apparatus for fusing sulfur fboli low-grade  obfes



P. P. AUSTIN. III. APPARATUS FOR FUSING SULFUR FROM LOW GRADE (IRES. APPLICATION FILED OCT. II. ma.

Patented Sept: l6 19W,

hill

in apparatus for TAUL P. AUSTIN, JR, 01F FREEPORT, TEXAS.

APP'IUS FOB, FUSING dULFUIR. FROM LOW-GRADE GEES.

Specification (if-Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. is, 1919.

Application filed. October 11, 1918. Serial No. 257,790.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL P; Ausrm, Jr, a citizen of the United States, residingat lFreeport, Brazoria county, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Fusing Sulfur from Low-Grade Ores, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement fusing sulfur from low grade ores. It is particularly adapted for use in connection with sulfur ores containing 20% or less of free sulfur.

In the fusing and purifying of sulfur which is of high grade but off color or containing some impurities, it is common to dump the sulfur on steam heated pipes of a temperature somewhat above the melting point of sulfur. The sulfur comes in direct contact with the pipes and the whole mass of the sulfur, containino" the impurities is fused and runs into settling tanks where the pure sulfur can be drawn off in fluid state from the tops of the tanks.

This process is not possible in the fusing of sulfur from low grade ores, however, as the heat does'not come into intimate contact with the sulfur in the. ore and only a smallpart of the free sulfur is obtained. Attempts have been made to fuse the sulfur by means of saturated high pressure steam. The objection to this method is that the condensed vapor from the steam unites with the sulfur and the metals in the containers to such an extent that acids and other corrosive and undesirable combinations result, thus serving to injure the apparatus and to introduce impurities into the sulfur.

One object of my invention is to provide an apparatus in which the sulfur may be fused from low grade ores without the dis advantage resulting from the usual methods and which will be especially efficient' for the purpose.

Another object is to provide an apparatus which will bring the heating fluid; into intimate and direct contact with the sulfur and which will be economical in operation.

A further objectis to so treat thesulfur in the ore to be roasted that the sulfur'will be quickly fused and drawn off from the ore itself in the most efficient and economical manner.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification and wherein like numerals of reference are applied to like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of my invention taken on theline 1- -l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an end view showing half of the end of said chamber cut away for the purpose of showing the interior thereof.

In thepractice of my invention I contemplate loading the ore on to small'metallic cars, running the same into aclosed heatlng chamber, heating said chamber by means of steam coils or other similar apparatus and to introduce into the upper part of the chamber a highly heated gas or superheated steam and circulating the same by fans or other similar means, downward upon and through the ore in the cars, thereby heating the sulfur above the fusing point and allowing the sulfur to run down into the bottom .of the cars where it can be drawn off by means of a tap or valve into another receptacle.

In the drawing T have shown a closed chamber of metallic construction, madeu of a skeleton of angle iron, supporting s eat metal sides and ends. This construction should be such as to make an air tight chamber of moderate strength and durability, but it will not be necessary to construct a chamber of any extraordinary strength, because ll do notcontempl ate using any marked pressure upon the gas or fluid used in heating the ore. At one end of the chamber 1 have provided a sliding door, 3, adapted to be raised or lowered in a sliding trackway 2 in order to introduce into the chamber the cars containing the sulfur ore. The door 3 is maintained in air tight contact with the Walls of the chamber when in closed position by means of clamping buttons or latches 4 of any ordinary construction. have shown my chamber as being seated upon a flooring of concrete 5 and provided with a central rail track 11 mounted upon cross ties composed of I-beams 12. A plurality of hopper-shaped cars 10 made of .metal such as sheet iron or steel may be run into the chamber upon the track 11 when the ore .is ready for treatment. On each side of the chamber I have provided a bank of steam pipes? and in the upper art of the chamber are a similar; series 0 steam pipes 6 and 7 for the purpose of furnishmg a heating means for the chamber. Live gas.

. used about the sulfur mines may steam introduced into these steam pipes at one end thereof through inlet pipe 8,

where it stands in nearly quiescent -state and condenses. The condensate finds an outlet through the return pipe 9 from whence it is led to a steam trap or other suitable means not shown for removing the returns.

A circulation of the heated air and gas within the chamber may be brought about by artificial means and I have shown a plurality of rotating fans 14 secured at the lower end of shafts 15 mounted in supports 16 upon the top of the chamber. The upper end of each of the shafts is provided with a beveled gear 17 meshing with a similar gear, 18 upon. a horizontal drive shaft connected with an electric motor 19, also mounted for.operation-upon-the top of the chamber. Each of the shafts 15, hearing a circulating fan 14, is adapted to make anair tight rotation through the upper part of the chamber by means of a stuffing box 24 around the said shafts.

Each of the circulating fans 14 is adapted to rotate within a circular opening 21 in a central horizontal diaphragm or partition 20, within'the chamber. This diaphragm extends from end to end across the chamber but a. space is provided at each side of the chamber for the passage of the circulating air and gas upward around the sides of the dia hragm and over the steam pipe 7.

S hper-heated steam or other dry highly heated gas is introduced into of the chamber through an inlet pipe 22 leading to a superheating means, not shown. It is contemplated that the exhaust steam from the engines, pumps, etc.,'orolinarily be passed directly into a superheater and after the said exhaust steam has reached a dry state approximately in the form of a gas, it is introduced into the upper part of the heating chamber. The cooler air which may be present in the heating chamber will find an the upper part outlet through the pipe 23 leading t5 the atmosphere as the superheated. steam is introduced into the upper part of the recep tacle. The said cold air in the chamber will continue to issue from the outlet 23 until the chamber is entirely filled with the steam or When vapor begins to appear at the outlet 23 this will be a signal for the closing of the valve therein ready for beginning the process of fusing the sulfur in the ore.

In the process of practising my invention, the low grade ore will be dumped into the cars 10 which will then be run into the chamber 1 upon the track 11 and the opening will be closed by means of the sliding door 3 in the manner described. When the cham ber has been closed, the steam will be introduced into the steam pipes through the pipe 8 and the heating of the chamber will commence. Super-heated steam from an I and the cold air then in the chamber will be forced downwardly toward the bottom thereof and outwardly through the outlet 23. When the superheated steam has filled the entire chamber and begins to issue from the outlet 23 this fact will be noted in the vapor appearing at the said outlet and the same will be closed. It is to be understood that the chamber 1 will be'thoroughly heated by means of the steam pipes 6, 7 and 7 before the superheated steam is forced into the said chamber. When the entire chamber has been filled with the superheated steam or gas, the motor 19 will be started, thereby operating the fans 14,,to cause a circulation of the heated gas or steam directly down upon the ore in the cars. It is desirable to have the superheated steam at about the atmospheric pressure and to heat the interior of the chamber to about 250 F. to 300 F. The circulation of this heated gas or steam withinthe chamber will soon fuse the sulfur within the ore, causing the same to run out in a fluid state to the lower part of the cars, from there it will be drawn off through the valves 13 into a receptacle. hen the sulfur has been entirely fused and the liquid drawn off, the steam may be shut oil from the inlet 23, the door 3 opened and the cars run out of the receptacle and the process repeated with other cars similarly loaded with the ore.

It is obvious that any highly heated gas may be introduced into the chamber for fusing purposes, but the use of exhaust steam already in a highly heated condition will necessitate the use of a comparatively small amount of heat energy to raise the same to a dry and super-heated condition to perform the fusing process within the chamber. For this reason it is thought preferable to use super-heated steam when the same can be obtained at low cost, but I do not wish to confine my invention to the use of steam alone as it is obvious that other fluids such as air or gas may also be used.

The advantage of this process lies particularly in maintaining the ore and the sulfur free from moisture and the resulting iin purities that might be introduced therein through chemical changes brought about by the combination of the moisture with other minerals coming in contact with the same. The use of super-heated steam or gas makes it possible to maintain a high temperature andlow pressure within the chamber, thereby-making it possible to construct the heating chambers of comparatively light material making thestructure much cheaper and claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a sulfursmelting device, an air tight chamber, a plurality of heat radi-ator pipes therein, means for conveying sulfur ore into said chamber, an inlet pipe for superheated steam or gas, an outlet pipe leading from said chamber, a central horizontal diaphragm and means to cause a circulation of heated gas through openings in said diaphragm upon the ore and back over the raw diator pipes.

2. In a sulfur smelting device, a closed chamber, means for introducing ore therein, means for heating said chamber, an inlet pipe'for superheated steam, fans for circulating said steam across said heating means and upon the ore and means to draw ofi' th fused material.

3. lln a sulfur smelting device, an air tight chamber, means to heat the same, an inlet pipe for heated fluid, an air outlet, and rotating means to circulate the heated fluid Within the chamber.

4:. A means for fusing sulfur from the ore comprising a closed air tight chamber, heat radiator'pipes therein, means for introducing superheated steam or gas into said chamher, and rotating fans to cause a circulation of said steam or gas through the chamber and u on the sulfur.

5. means for fusing sulfur from the ore comprising in combination, a closed cham her, a central horizontal partition therein, radiator pipes at each side and above said partition, fans rotatable in openings in said partition, means to introduce sulfur ore into said chamber below said partition and an inlet pipe for superheatedsteam or-gas.

, In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature this the 4th day of October, 1918 PAUL P. AUSTIN, R. 

